Exploring Point of View

So before I start this post I have to say...I am SO LUCKY to be writing this to you while enjoying this amazing view! We had a much needed family vacation this weekend. Time spent with the ones I love always refreshes and re-energizes me for the upcoming week!

 

Okay...with that said, the kiddos have been working so hard over the last few weeks wrapping up our unit on story elements and exploring point of view.  We did this through a mini-unit on Fairy Tales.  Here are a few of the activities we did.

 

To start out we discussed character traits. I explained that authors and illustrators work together to create a character that looks and acts a certain way. We discussed the difference between identifying what the outside of a character looks like and understanding what the inside of a character feels like. The students drew pictures of themselves and labeled the outside and inside with words that described them. These are a couple of examples. 

 

 

After completing several activities on character traits we began exploring how identifying those traits can also help us understand a character's point of view.  I showed them posters that included signal words for 1st person, 2nd person, and 3rd person.  Because understanding point of view can be tricky for young readers, I decided to use text that would be familiar to the students to introduce the skill.  I explained that we would be reading familiar fairy tales and identifying the story elements (characters, setting, plot), and the character's point of view.  I modeled this by reading Cinderella and completing a story map as a class. Over the next few days, the students broke up into groups and received their own "Fairy Tale Folder."  Inside each folder was a task that was differentiated for that group.

 

 

Differentiated Tasks: All groups read their fairy tale and completed a character trait splash web. They wrote six words that described the main character in the story. They then chose one of those words and wrote a sentence justifying their answer with text-based evidence.  For example, one of the members of the Goldilocks team wrote: I know that Goldilocks is naughty because she went into their Bears' house without asking.  When they were done, the groups had their own activity to complete. Below is a list of the stories and activities. 

 

 

Group 1: The Three Little Pigs

Task: Read your story. Identify the story elements and write/illustrate a sentence telling your favorite part. Read your sentence to the class and show them your illustration.

 

 

 

 Group 2: Jack and the Beanstalk

Task: After reading the story, write your own version of Jack and the Beanstalk. Make sure to include characters, setting, and plot. Read your story aloud to the class.

 

 

Group 3: Little Red Riding Hood

Task: Read the story. Complete a story map identifying the story elements and main character's point of view.  Make a poster identifying the characters, setting, problem, and solution in the story. Show your poster to class and explain your writing/illustrations. 

 

Group 4: Goldilocks and the Three Bears

Task: Read the story all the way through. Then, assign parts to each person in the group. Perform the fairy tale to the class as a reader's theatre.  Generate questions to ask the class when you are finished performing the fairy tale. 

 

 

 

 

More student pics...

 



 

 

 

In addition, we also read some mixed-up versions of fairy tales. We compared the main characters and discussed how the point of view changed between the stories.

 

 

 

There are many other versions that the students didn't get a chance to read in class. You can check out many of these at your local library. Here are a few suggested titles:

- Believe Me, Goldilocks Rocks!

-Snow White Was So Forgetful!

-Trust Me, Jack's Beanstalk Stinks!

My Super Second Graders!

Okay, I am FINALLY going to get around to posting some of our beginning of the year pictures.  To say that these first three weeks have been anything but crazy would be a total lie. Between getting to know all my new students, learning routines and procedures, and finishing up beginning of the year testing, I feel like we've been running a marathon! Now is when the good stuff starts. Things are starting to settle down and I can't wait to see what the year has in store for us!

 

So, with that said, I thought I would post some of our back to school pics to give you some highlights of how our year has started out....

 

After the students are gone for the day I pick three people who I think did a good job, tried extra hard, or just needed a word of encouragement. I write a little note on the picture frame and set it on their desk for them to find when they come in the next morning. I let the kids keep it on there for the whole day so that their friends, classmates, or anyone that comes into our room knows they have been caught doing something good.  I found the frames at Walmart and added scrapbook paper to the inside. The clear part is great for writing with dry erase markers and it is made of plastic...no glass! (Act Safely is one of our school rules after all! ;) )

 

 

One of the other things I am trying for the first time this year is the number system. Instead of labeling everything with student names, I have assigned each student with a number. That way I can keep track of class lists, book boxes, and behavior easily. I took pictures of each child holding their number and made a class master list for subs (and for myself!)  These were a few of their pictures. I thought they turned out cute!!

 

During the first week of school we made something called, "I Can" journals.  These are used across all subject areas for reading response, math journal prompts, and science observations. I printed the kids' pictures and glued them on the cover. They got to decorate the words "I Can" and we put that on the back. I explained to the class that "I can't" doesn't exist in this classroom. Everything is possible if we just try hard! The bottom photo is of one of the student's responses using text-based evidence... a HUGE new part of Common Core. You can get this as part of my text-based evidence unit on TpT by clicking here.

 



 

 

 

We also did a lot of work with the story, Enemy Pie. We used this as a starting point to discuss classroom rules, text-based evidence, story structure, and character traits.  The students worked so hard that I wanted to reward them with their own enemy pie! They loved it!

 

We also had a "Birthday Girl" last week! Sweet little Bailey brought in cupcakes for the class. We had her special day celebration on the playground during recess. 

 

Last but not least, we have had three amazing Star Students so far. Unfortunately, I only got one of their pictures but I wanted to give a big congratulations to Rance, Ashley, and Jestin for being the first three of our 2013-2014 school year. Keep up the good work!

 

More to come soon....!

 

 

Setting Up for Science

To start the year off I always like to do a unit to get the students excited about science.  We begin by reading a book titled, What is a Scientist? We then brainstorm a list of things that scientists do and make a classroom anchor chart with all of the students' ideas (thank you Pinterest!)

The next day, we discuss all of the tools that scientists use.  I set up stations for the students to rotate through where they can get hands-on with the different scientific tools.  The kids LOVE this!! It is so great to see them exploring the classroom. When they have rotated through all of the stations, we do a tool sort to identify the name of the tools and their purpose.

 

 

 

We also talk about the scientific method. There is a great video on BrainPopJr that introduces the basic steps and gives examples of each.  Once we have watched the video and discussed the process, we go over the steps using these posters I found on Teachers Pay Teachers.  After going over them, the students got an individual copy and glued the steps in order.

 

 

 

 

Finally, we designed our own experiment using the steps in the scientific process. We completed a foldable that took us through each of the steps. We did the "Mentos" experiment because it is always a fun way to grab the students' attention! For those of you who haven't heard of it before, our question is, "What will happen if we drop Mentos into Coke?".  The answer is, "It explodes!!!" The kids love it! I tried to take some pictures but we didn't get it at the right time. Here are some I found online that show the same results.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Getting the Classroom Ready!

I am so excited that I finally feel like my room is coming together. I kept a lot of things that I liked from last year but added some new "touches" as well. There were many people, blogs, and other websites that inspired many of these projects! I hope the students and parents love it as much as I do!

 

These boards are outside of my classroom in the hallway. The top one is my communication board. I have the schedule (including special area) and our class list posted here. There are also two blank pages that I will paperclip the current newsletter and a quote of the day for the kids to read before they come into the room each morning. The other board is to display student work. Each student has  a piece of paper with a paperclip that I will add their work to as we go through the year. I am planning on adding some kind of a "catchy" phrase in the middle but just haven't decided what I want it to say yet :)

 

This is our reading area. I have used file boxes from Thirty-One and put student numbers on them. Each child will be responsible for filing their own papers when they are done with an assignment.

 



 

Using jewelry hangers is a great way to organize flash cards (and cute too!)

 



 

Emergency info is always posted and ready by the door (just in case ;) )

 

Our behavior board. "Good Behavior Is Always In Style!"

 

 

Extra stuff!!